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Wednesday, December 23, 2015

The
members of the Security Council welcomed the participation of Yemeni
parties in peace consultations from 15-20 December 2015, held under
the auspices of the United Nations. They expressed their appreciation
and reiterated their full support for the efforts of the United
Nations and the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Yemen.

The
members of the Security Council recalled Security Council resolutions
2014 (2011), 2051 (2012), 2140 (2014), 2201 (2015) and 2216 (2015),
emphasizing the need for a peaceful, orderly, inclusive and
Yemeni-led transition process. The members of the Security Council
reiterated their demand for the full implementation of relevant
Security Council resolutions, and reiterated their call from
resolution 2216 (2015) on all Yemeni parties to resume and accelerate
United Nations-brokered inclusive political consultations.

The
members of the Security Council commended the parties and the Special
Envoy for a productive round of talks, which provided a foundation
for the next phases of the peace process. They welcomed the agreement
of the parties to a cessation of hostilities, expressed deep concern
at the number of violations of the cessation of hostilities committed
during the talks, and emphasised that the cessation of hostilities
and compliance with related Security Council resolutions should lead
to a permanent and comprehensive ceasefire. In this regard, the
members of the Security Council welcomed the commitment of the
parties to continue the work of the Coordination and De-escalation
Committee established at the talks in order to pro-actively reduce
the number of violations, and urged all parties to adhere to the
cessation of hostilities and to exercise maximum restraint if
violations or reports of violations emerge.

The
members of the Security Council welcomed the commitment of the
parties at the talks to ensure safe, rapid and unhindered access for
humanitarian aid delivery to all affected governorates including in
particular Taiz, and called on the parties to respect this commitment
in the future. They encouraged the parties to urgently finalise
agreements on the release of all non-combatant and arbitrary
detainees and to finalise agreement on a package of confidence
building measures.

The
members of the Security Council noted with appreciation the progress
made during the talks towards a framework for negotiations based
firmly on resolution 2216 (2015) and other relevant UNSC resolutions,
capable of leading to an end to the conflict. In this respect, the
members of the Security Council called on all Member States to
support the commitment of the Yemeni parties to the political
dialogue.

The
members of the Security Council urged the Yemeni parties to fulfil
commitments made during the talks and welcomed their commitment to a
new round of talks in mid January 2016, building on the progress that
has been achieved so far. They reaffirmed their call on Yemeni
parties to engage without preconditions and in good faith, including
by resolving their differences through dialogue and consultations,
rejecting acts of violence to achieve political goals, and refraining
from provocation and all unilateral actions to undermine the
political transition. The members of the Security Council strongly
condemned all violence, attempts or threats to use violence to
intimidate those participating in United Nations-brokered
consultations and emphasized that such action is unacceptable.

The
members of the Security Council emphasized that the United
Nations-brokered inclusive political dialogue must be a Yemeni-led
process, with the intention of brokering a consensus-based political
solution to Yemen’s crisis in accordance with the Gulf Cooperation
Council Initiative and its Implementation Mechanism, the outcomes of
the comprehensive National Dialogue Conference and relevant Security
Council resolutions.

The
members of the Security Council expressed their support and
appreciation for the efforts of the Secretary-General’s Special
Envoy for Yemen, who will continue to engage with all Yemeni
stakeholders to take steps towards a durable ceasefire and a
mechanism for the withdrawal of forces, relinquishment of all
additional arms seized from military and security institutions,
release of political prisoners and the resumption of an inclusive
political transition process in accordance with Security Council
resolution 2216 (2015). The members of the Council recognized the
importance of UN ceasefire monitoring capacity to support the
process.

The
members of the Security Council expressed deep concern about the dire
humanitarian situation in Yemen, which continues to worsen. The
members of the Security Council recognised that over 80 percent of
the population – 21 million people – require some form of
humanitarian assistance and emphasised that the civilian impact of
the conflict has been devastating, particularly for children and the
2.5 million internally displaced persons. The members of the Security
Council expressed particular concern at the food security situation,
with over seven million people suffering severe food insecurity and a
doubling in the number of children under five who are acutely
malnourished. They recognised that functioning markets inside Yemen
are essential to address the situation, as humanitarian assistance
alone cannot overcome a humanitarian crisis of this scale.

The
members of the Security Council noted that the humanitarian appeal
for 2015 has been 52% funded and urged the international community to
contribute to the humanitarian appeal for 2016.

The
members of the Security Council urged all parties to fulfil their
commitments to facilitate the delivery of commercial goods,
humanitarian assistance and fuel for civilian purposes to all parts
of Yemen, as well as immediate measures to further ensure rapid, safe
and unhindered humanitarian access.
They also stressed the urgent need for commercially-shipped food,
medicine, fuel and other vital supplies to continue to enter Yemen
through all of Yemen’s ports without delay as a humanitarian
imperative because of the heavy dependence of Yemen and its people on
imported food and fuel. In that regard, they urged all parties to
work with the new United Nations Verification and Inspection
Mechanism. The members of the Security Council called upon all sides
to comply with international humanitarian law, including to take all
feasible precautions to minimize harm to civilians and civilian
objects, to end the recruitment and use of children in violation of
applicable international law, and to urgently work with the
United Nations and humanitarian aid organizations to bring assistance
to those in need throughout the country.

The
members of the Security Council reiterated their strong commitment to
the unity, sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of
Yemen.

Recalling
its
resolution 1970 (2011) and all its subsequent resolutions on Libya,

Reaffirming
its
strong commitment to the sovereignty, independence, territorial
integrity and national unity of Libya,

Calling
on
all parties to armed conflict to take all appropriate steps to
protect civilians,
andrecalling
that
all parties to armed conflict must comply strictly with the
obligations applicable to them under international humanitarian,
human rights and refugee law,

Welcoming
the
efforts of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) and
the Special Representative of the Secretary-General to facilitate a
Libyan-led political solution to address the political, security,
economic and institutional crises facing Libya, including through the
formation of a Government of National Accord,

Welcoming
the
signing on 17 December 2015 of the Libyan Political Agreement of
Skhirat, Morocco by the majority of the Libyan delegates to the
UN-facilitated political dialogue, and by a wide range of
representatives of Libyan society, municipal leaders and heads of
political parties, and recognizing
the
contribution of Member States to host and support the meetings of
that dialogue, including the countries of the region in particular
the Kingdom of Morocco for its efforts in advancing the Agreement,
including through hosting the Libyan Political Dialogue,

Recognising
the importance of the continued inclusiveness of the Libyan Political
Agreement, and in this regard, strongly encouraging all parties in
Libya to seize this historic opportunity to be part of and to engage
constructively with the Agreement, in good faith and with sustained
political will,

Recognizing
the
need for assistance planning for a Government of National Accord and
security arrangements,and
recalling
that Member States at the Rome Conference on 13 December 2015
underlined their commitment to provide technical, economic, security
and counter-terrorism assistance,

Expressing
concern at the grave humanitarian situation in Libya and encouraging
Member States to respond generously to the Libya Humanitarian
Response Plan for 2016,

Welcoming
the
efforts made by all participants in the UN-facilitated Libyan
Political Dialogue and other tracks of the peace process, including
the contributions of civil society, tribal leaders, local-level
ceasefires, prisoner exchanges and the return of internally displaced
persons,

Urging
the
full, equal and effective participation of women in all activities
relating to the democratic transition, conflict resolution and
peacebuilding in line with relevant Security Council resolutions,
including resolutions 1325 (2000), 2122 (2013), and 2242 (2015), and
in this regard welcoming
the
UN facilitation of meetings of women’s participation within the
framework of the Political Dialogue,

Recalling
resolution
2214 (2015)and
condemning the
terrorist acts being committed in Libya by groups proclaiming
allegiance to Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known
as Da’esh) including those committed by individuals, groups,
undertakings and entities designated as associated with ISIL or
Al-Qaida by the 1267/1989/2253 ISIL (Da’esh) and Al-Qaida Sanctions
Committee (the Committee) and further
reiterating grave
concern about the negative impact of their presence, violent
extremist ideology and deadly actions in Libya, neighbouring States,
and the region,

Reaffirming
the
need to combat by all means, in accordance with the Charter of the
United Nations and international law, including applicable
international human rights, refugee and humanitarian law, threats to
international peace and security caused by terrorist acts, including
those committed by groups proclaiming allegiance to ISIL in Libya,
and recalling,
in this regard, the obligations under resolution 2253 (2015), and
urging
all Member States to actively cooperate in this regard with the
Government of National Accord and provide support as requested,

Condemning
any
engagement in direct or indirect trade, in particular of oil and oil
products, modular refineries, and related materiel including
chemicals and lubricants, with ISIL, and other individuals, groups,
undertakings, and entities designated as associated with ISIL or
Al-Qaida by the Committee, and reiterating
that such engagement would constitute support for such individuals,
groups, undertakings, and entities and may lead to further listings
by the Committee,

Expressing
its
concern about the problem of smuggling oil products from Libya and
calling
on
all Member States to cooperate with the Government of National
Accord,

Reiterating
its grave concern at the recent proliferation of, and endangerment of
lives by, the smuggling of migrants in the Mediterranean Sea, in
particular off the coast of Libya and into and through Libyan
territory, recalling
its
resolution 2240 (2015)which
condemnsall
acts of migrant smuggling and human trafficking into, through and
from Libyan territory and off the coast of Libya, and urging
all
Member States to cooperate with the Government of National Accord to
tackle this issue,

Reaffirming
the
importance of holding accountable those responsible for violations or
abuses of human rights or violations of international humanitarian
law, including those involved in attacks targeting civilians,

Recalling
its decision in resolution 1970 (2011) to refer the situation in
Libya to the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court and
affirming
the importance of the Government of National Accord’s full
cooperation with the International Criminal Court and the Prosecutor,

Expressing
deep
concern at the threat posed by unsecured arms and ammunition in Libya
and their proliferation, which undermines stability in Libya and the
region, including through transfer to terrorist and violent extremist
groups, and underlining
the importance of coordinated international support to the Government
of National Accord and the region to address these issues,

Further
recalling the
arms embargo, travel ban, assets freeze and measures concerning
illicit oil exports which were imposed and modified by resolutions
1970 (2011), 1973 (2011), 2009 (2011), 2040 (2012), 2095 (2013), 2144
(2014), 2146 (2014), 2174 (2014) 2213 (2015) (the Measures), and that
the mandate of the Panel of Experts established by paragraph 24 of
resolution 1973 (2011) and modified by resolutions 2040 (2012), 2146
(2014) and 2174 (2014) was extended until 30 April 2016 by resolution
2213 (2015),

Encouraging
the
Government of National Accord to implement measures to increase
transparency of government revenues and expenditures, including
salaries, subsidies, and other transfers from the Central Bank of
Libya, to ensure the long-term sustainability of Libya’s financial
resources,

Expressing
concern
about activities which could damage the integrity and unity of Libyan
State financial institutions and the National Oil Company,
highlighting
the importance of these institutions continuing to function for the
benefit of all Libyans, and stressing
the
need for the Government of National Accord to exercise sole and
effective oversight over the National Oil Company, the Central Bank
of Libya, and the Libyan Investment Authority as a matter of urgency,
without prejudice to future constitutional arrangements pursuant to
the Libyan Political Agreement,

Emphasizing
the
need for all parties to comply with their obligations under
international humanitarian law and to respect the United Nations
guiding principles of humanitarian emergency assistance,

Recalling
its determination in resolution 2238 (2015) that the situation in
Libya constitutes a threat to international peace and security,

Welcomes
the
signature on 17 December 2015 of the Libyan Political Agreement of
Skhirat, Morocco to form a Government of National Accord consisting
of the Presidency Council and Cabinet supported by the other
institutions of state including the House of Representatives and
State Council;

Welcomes
the
formation of the Presidency Council and calls
upon
it towork
expeditiously within the 30 days stated in the Libyan Political
Agreement to form a Government of National Accord, and to finalise
interim security arrangements necessary for stabilising Libya, and
in this regard calls
upon Member States to respond urgently to requests from it for
assistance;

Endorses
the Rome Communiqué of 13 December 2015 to support the Government
of National Accord as the sole legitimate government of Libya,
stresses
that a Government of National Accord that should be based in the
capital Tripoli is urgently needed to provide Libya with the means
to maintain governance, promote stability and economic development,
and expresses
its determination in this regard to support the Government of
National Accord;

Requests
thatall
Member States fully support the efforts of the Special
Representative of the Secretary-General and work with the Libyan
authorities and UNSMIL to develop a coordinated package of support
to build the capacity of the Government of National Accord, in line
with Libyan priorities and in response to requests for assistance;

Calls
upon Member
States, particularly those in the region, to continue to urge all
parties in Libya to engage constructively with the Government of
National Accord and all other institutions included in the Libyan
Political Agreement and calls
upon Member
Statesto
cease support to and official contact with parallel institutions
that claim to be the legitimate authority but are outside of the
Agreement as specified by it;

Calls
upon
all Member States to respond urgently to requests for assistance
from the Government of National Accord for the implementation of the
Libyan Political Agreement;

Reiterates
its support for the ongoing deliberations of the UN facilitated
security track of the political dialogue to finalise security
arrangements,and
urges
existing militias and armed groups to respect the authority of the
Government of National Accord and its command structures;

Emphasises
the importance of the Government of National Accord exercising
control over, and safely storing arms in Libya with the support of
the international community;

Further
calls
upon the Government of National Accord to protect the integrity and
unity of the National Oil Company, the Central Bank of Libya and the
Libyan Investment Authority, and for these institutions to accept
the authority of the Government of National Accord;

Confirms
that
those individuals and entities engaging in or providing support for
acts that threaten the peace, stability or security of Libya, or
that obstruct or undermine the successful completion of the
political transition to a stable, secure and prosperous Libya under
a Government of National Accord, must be held strictly accountable,
and in this regard, recalls the travel ban and asset freeze measures
reaffirmed in paragraph 11 of resolution 2213 (2015);

Requests
that the Committee be prepared to list individuals, groups,
undertakings and entities in Libya associated with Al-Qaida or ISIL;

Urges
Member States to swiftly assist the Government of National Accord
in responding to threats to Libyan security and to actively support
the new government in defeating ISIL, groups that have pledged
allegiance to ISIL, Ansar Al Sharia, and all other individuals,
groups, undertakings and entities associated with Al-Qaida operating
in Libya, upon its request;

Calls
upon the
Government of National Accord to promote and protect human rights
of all individuals within its territory and subject to its
jurisdiction, including those of women, children and people
belonging to vulnerable groups, and to comply with its obligations
under international law;

Callsupon
the
Government of National Accord to hold to account those responsible
for violations of international humanitarian law and violations and
abuses of human rights, including those involving sexual violence,
and to co-operate fully with and provide any necessary assistance to
the International Criminal Court and the Prosecutor as required by
resolution 1970 (2011) and recalled by resolution 2238 (2015);

Recalls
resolution
2240 (2015)
and
urges
Member
States to cooperate with the Government of National Accord, and with
each other, including by sharing information about acts of migrant
smuggling and human trafficking in Libya’s territorial sea, on the
high seas off the coast of Libya and rendering assistance to
migrants and victims of human trafficking recovered at sea, in
accordance with international law;

Requests
that
the Secretary-General continue to maintain the necessary flexibility
and mobility to adjust UNSMIL staffing and operations at short
notice in order to support, as appropriate and in accordance with
its mandate, implementation by Libya of agreements and
confidence-building measures or in response to their expressed
needs, and further requests
the
Secretary-General to keep the Security Council informed in his
reports prior to any such adjustments;

Affirms
its
readiness to review the appropriateness of the Measures, including
the strengthening, modification, suspension or lifting of the
Measures, and its readiness to review the mandate of UNSMIL, as may
be needed at any time in light of developments in Libya,
particularly outcomes of the UN-facilitated dialogue;

Calls
upon
all parties to cooperate fully with the activities of UNSMIL,
including allowing it free interaction with all interlocutors and to
take necessary steps to ensure the security of as well as the
unhindered movement and timely access for the UN and associated
personnel;

Requests
the Secretary-General to report to the Security Council as
appropriate on implementation of the Libyan Political Agreement,
including acts that disrupt or prevent its implementation;

Reaffirming
its strong commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity and
territorial integrity of Syria, and to the purposes and principles of
the Charter of the United Nations,

Expressing
outrage
at the unacceptable and escalating level of violence and the killing
of over a quarter of a million people, including tens of thousands of
child casualties, as a result of the Syrian conflict,

Gravely
distressed
by the continued deterioration of the devastating humanitarian
situation in Syria and by the fact that urgent humanitarian
assistance, including medical assistance, is now required by more
than 13.5 million people in Syria — of whom 6.5 million are
internally displaced, 4.5 million are living in hard-to-reach areas,
including Palestinian refugees, and 393,700 civilians are trapped in
besieged areas,

On
15 December 2015, the Special Envoy of the United Nations
Secretary-General for Yemen convened a delegation of the Government
of Yemen and a joint delegation of Ansarallah and the General
People’s Congress in Magglingen in Switzerland, to conduct peace
consultations under the auspices of the United Nations.

The
parties came together to develop a framework for detailed peace
negotiations based firmly on Resolution 2216 (2015) and other
relevant UNSC resolutions, in order to reach an end of the war and
return to a peaceful, political transition. The parties also sought
to identify and implement a series of confidence building measures,
which yield concrete and immediate benefits for the Yemeni people.

The
Special Envoy expressed his gratitude to all parties for their
presence, and constructive participation engagement in the UN
facilitated peace talks. He also expressed his appreciation to the
participants for their commitment to a cessation of hostilities,
which was announced with the start of the talks.

Unfortunately,
there were numerous violations of the cessation of hostilities, which
affected the progress of the talks. Despite this, the parties made
serious progress through identifying a framework for negotiations
towards a comprehensive settlement, in addition to defining a set of
relevant confidence-building measures relating to prisoner release,
improved social services and improving the flow of humanitarian aid
to Taizz and other Yemeni governorates.

In
particular, during the talks the parties agreed to:

(1) Develop
a package of confidence-building measures including a mechanism for
the release of prisoners which will include a release of all
detainees and prisoners once a permanent ceasefire is in place;

(2) Establish
a Co-ordination
and De-escalation Committee consisting
of military advisors from both sides, facilitated by the United
Nations.

(3) Lift
all forms of blockade and allow safe, rapid and unhindered access for
humanitarian supplies to all affected governorates, including Taizz.

The
participants likewise agreed to a negotiating framework for a
comprehensive agreement to end the conflict and allow the resumption
of inclusive political dialogue. This framework is firmly
based on Resolution 2216 (2015) and other relevant UNSC resolutions
and provides a mechanism for return to a peaceful and orderly
transition based on the GCC Initiative and National Dialogue
outcomes.

The
participating delegations in Switzerland further agreed to:

(1) Continue
the work of the Coordination
and De-escalation Committee set
up during these talks and identify a suitable location for it in the
region. The committee will be comprised of military representatives
of the parties who will meet under UN facilitation.

(2) Meet
again for a second round of talks to be convened by the Special Envoy
in consultation with the parties.

(3) Ensure
a greater involvement of women in the upcoming rounds of talks.

Given
the centrality of the cessation of hostilities to the success of
talks, the Special Envoy has elected to adjourn the talks until the
middle of January 2016. In order to ensure adherence to the cessation
of hostilities and enable sustainability, the Special Envoy judges
that additional bilateral consultations will be required in Yemen and
in the region in the coming weeks.

The
Special Envoy shall continue to work with the parties to identify and
implement confidence-building measures that will help build respect
for a durable ceasefire and peace process.

The
Special Envoy wishes to commend the participants for the work so far
undertaken and plans to convene the next round of these talks on 14
January 2016.

Friday, December 18, 2015

The Security Council unanimously adopts resolution 2254 (2015), requesting the Secretary-General, through his good offices and the efforts of his Special Envoy for Syria, to convene representatives of the Syrian government and the opposition to engage in formal negotiations on a political transition process on an urgent basis, with a target of early January 2016 for the initiation of talks. UN Photo, 18 December 2015

PP2. Reaffirming its strong commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of the Syrian Arab Republic, and to the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations,

PP3. Expressing its gravest concern at the continued suffering of the Syrian people, the dire and deteriorating humanitarian situation, the ongoing conflict and its persistent and brutal violence, the negative impact of terrorism and violent extremist ideology in support of terrorism, the destabilizing effect of the crisis on the region and beyond, including the resulting increase in terrorists drawn to the fighting in Syria, the physical destruction in the country, and increasing sectarianism, and underscoring that the situation will continue to deteriorate in the absence of a political solution,

PP4. Recalling its demand that all parties take all appropriate steps to protect civilians, including members of ethnic, religious and confessional communities, and stresses that, in this regard, the primary responsibility to protect its population lies with the Syrian authorities,

PP5. Reiterating that the only sustainable solution to the current crisis in Syria is through an inclusive and Syrian-led political process that meets the legitimate aspirations of the Syrian people, with a view to full implementation of the Geneva Communiqué of 30 June 2012 as endorsed by resolution 2118 (2013), including through the establishment of an inclusive transitional governing body with full executive powers, which shall be formed on the basis of mutual consent while ensuring continuity of governmental institutions,

PP6. Encouraging, in this regard,the diplomatic efforts of the International Syria Support Group (ISSG) to help bring an end to the conflict in Syria,

PP7. Commending the commitment of the ISSG, as set forth in the Joint Statement on the outcome of the multilateral talks on Syria in Vienna of 30 October 2015 and the Statement of the ISSG of 14 November 2015 (hereinafter the “Vienna Statements”), to ensure a Syrian-led and Syrian-owned political transition based on the Geneva Communiqué in its entirety, and emphasizing the urgency for all parties in Syria to work diligently and constructively towards this goal,

PP8. Urging all parties to the UN-facilitated political process to adhere to the principles identified by the ISSG, including commitments to Syria’s unity, independence, territorial integrity, and non-sectarian character, to ensuring continuity of governmental institutions, to protecting the rights of all Syrians, regardless of ethnicity or religious denomination, and to ensuring humanitarian access throughout the country,

PP9. Encouraging the meaningful participation of women in the UN-facilitated political process for Syria,

PP10. Bearing in mind the goal to bring together the broadest possible spectrum of the opposition, chosen by Syrians, who will decide their negotiation representatives and define their negotiation positions so as to enable the political process to begin, taking note of the meetings in Moscow and Cairo and other initiatives to this end, and noting in particular the usefulness of the meeting in Riyadh on 9-11 December 2015, whose outcomes contribute to the preparation of negotiations under UN auspices on a political settlement of the conflict, in accordance with the Geneva Communique and the “Vienna Statements”, and looking forward to the Secretary-General's Special Envoy for Syria finalizing efforts to this end,

OP1. Reconfirms its endorsement of the Geneva Communiqué of 30 June 2012, endorses the “Vienna Statements” in pursuit of the full implementation of the Geneva Communiqué, as the basis for a Syrian-led and Syrian-owned political transition in order to end the conflict in Syria, and stresses that the Syrian people will decide the future of Syria;

OP2. Requests the Secretary-General, through his good offices and the efforts of his Special Envoy for Syria, to convene representatives of the Syrian government and the opposition to engage in formal negotiations on a political transition process on an urgent basis, with a target of early January 2016 for the initiation of talks, pursuant to the Geneva Communiqué, consistent with the 14 November 2015 ISSG Statement, with a view to a lasting political settlement of the crisis;

OP3. Acknowledges the role of the ISSG as the central platform to facilitate the United Nations’ efforts to achieve a lasting political settlement in Syria;

OP4. Expresses its support, in this regard, for a Syrian-led political process that is facilitated by the United Nations and, within a target of six months, establishes credible, inclusive and non-sectarian governance and sets a schedule and process for drafting a new constitution, and further expresses its support for free and fair elections, pursuant to the new constitution, to be held within 18 months and administered under supervision of the United Nations, to the satisfaction of the governance and to the highest international standards of transparency and accountability, with all Syrians, including members of the diaspora, eligible to participate, as set forth in the 14 November 2015 ISSG Statement;

OP5. Acknowledges the close linkage between a ceasefire and a parallel political process, pursuant to the 2012 Geneva Communiqué, and that both initiatives should move ahead expeditiously, and in this regard expresses its support for a nationwide ceasefire in Syria, which the ISSG has committed to support and assist in implementing, to come into effect as soon as the representatives of the Syrian government and the opposition have begun initial steps towards a political transition under UN auspices, on the basis of the Geneva Communiqué, as set forth in the 14 November 2015 ISSG Statement, and to do so on an urgent basis;

OP6. Requests the Secretary-General to lead the effort, through the office of his Special Envoy and in consultation with relevant parties, to determine the modalities and requirements of a ceasefire as well as continue planning for the support of ceasefire implementation, and urges Member States, in particular members of the ISSG, to support and accelerate all efforts to achieve a ceasefire, including through pressing all relevant parties to agree and adhere to such a ceasefire;

OP7. Emphasizes the need for a ceasefire monitoring, verification and reporting mechanism, requests the Secretary-General to report to the Security Council on options for such a mechanism that it can support, as soon as possible and no later than one month after the adoption of this resolution, and encourages Member States, including members of the Security Council, to provide assistance, including through expertise and in-kind contributions, to support such a mechanism;

OP8. Reiterates its call in resolution 2249 (2015) for Member States to prevent and suppress terrorist acts committed specifically by Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as Da’esh), Al-Nusra Front (ANF), and all other individuals, groups, undertakings, and entities associated with Al Qaeda or ISIL, and other terrorist groups, as designated by the Security Council, and as may further be agreed by the ISSG and determined by the Security Council, pursuant to the Statement of the ISSG of 14 November 2015, and to eradicate the safe haven they have established over significant parts of Syria, and notes that the aforementioned ceasefire will not apply to offensive or defensive actions against these individuals, groups, undertakings and entities, as set forth in the 14 November 2015 ISSG Statement;

OP9. Welcomes the effort of the government of Jordan to help develop a common understanding within the ISSG of individuals and groups for possible determination as terrorists and will consider expeditiously the recommendation of the ISSG for the purpose of determining terrorist groups;

OP10. Emphasizes the need for all parties in Syria to take confidence building measures to contribute to the viability of a political process and a lasting ceasefire, and calls on all states to use their influence with the government of Syria and the Syrian opposition to advance the peace process, confidence building measures and steps towards a ceasefire;

OP11. Requests the Secretary-General to report to the Council, as soon as possible and no later than one month after the adoption of this resolution, on options for further confidence building measures;

OP12. Calls on the parties to immediately allow humanitarian agencies rapid, safe and unhindered access throughout Syria by most direct routes, allow immediate, humanitarian assistance to reach all people in need, in particular in all besieged and hard-to-reach areas, release any arbitrarily detained persons, particularly women and children, calls on ISSG states to use their influence immediately to these ends, and demands the full implementation of resolutions 2139 (2014), 2165 (2014), 2191 (2014) and any other applicable resolutions;

OP13. Demands that all parties immediately cease any attacks against civilians and civilian objects as such, including attacks against medical facilities and personnel, and any indiscriminate use of weapons, including through shelling and aerial bombardment, welcomes the commitment by the ISSG to press the parties in this regard, and furtherdemands that all parties immediately comply with their obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law and international human rights law as applicable;

OP14. Underscores the critical need to build conditions for the safe and voluntary return of refugees and internally displaced persons to their home areas and the re-habilitation of affected areas, in accordance with international law, including applicable provisions of the Convention and Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees, and taking into account the interests of those countries hosting refugees, and urges Member States to provide assistance in this regard, and looks forward to the London Conference on Syria in February 2016, hosted by the United Kingdom, Germany, Kuwait, Norway and the United Nations, as an important contribution to this endeavor, and further expresses its support to the post-conflict reconstruction and rehabilitation of Syria;

OP15. Requests that the Secretary-General report back to the Security Council on the implementation of this resolution, including on progress of the UN-facilitated political process, within 60 days;

Reaffirming that terrorism in all forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to peace and security and that any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable regardless of their motivations, whenever, wherever, and by whomsoever committed, and reiterating its unequivocal condemnation of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as Da’esh), Al-Qaida, and associated individuals, groups, undertakings, and entities for ongoing and multiple criminal terrorist acts aimed at causing the deaths of innocent civilians and other victims, destruction of property, and greatly undermining stability,

Recognizing that terrorism poses a threat to international peace and security and that countering this threat requires collective efforts on national, regional and international levels on the basis of respect for international law and the Charter of the United Nations,

Reaffirming that terrorism cannot and should not be associated with any religion, nationality, or civilization,

Expressing its gravest concern about the presence, violent extremist ideology and actions of ISIL, Al-Qaida, and their affiliates in the Middle East and North Africa and beyond,

Reaffirming its commitment to sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of all States in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations,

Reaffirming the need to combat by all means, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations and international law, including applicable international human rights law, international refugee law, and international humanitarian law, threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts, stressing in this regard the important role the United Nations plays in leading and coordinating this effort,

Recognizing that development, security, and human rights are mutually reinforcing and are vital to an effective and comprehensive approach to countering terrorism, and underlining that a particular goal of counter-terrorism strategies should be to ensure sustainable peace and security,

Reaffirming its resolution 1373 (2001) and in particular its decisions that all States shall prevent and suppress the financing of terrorist acts and refrain from providing any form of support, active or passive, to entities or persons involved in terrorist acts, including by suppressing recruitment of members of terrorist groups and eliminating the supply of weapons to terrorists,

Stressing that terrorism can only be defeated by a sustained and comprehensive approach involving the active participation and collaboration of all States and international and regional organizations to impede, impair, isolate, and incapacitate the terrorist threat,

Emphasizing that sanctions are an important tool under the Charter of the United Nations in the maintenance and restoration of international peace and security, including in support of countering terrorism, and stressing in this regard the need for robust implementation of the measures in paragraph 2 of this resolution,

Recalling that ISIL is a splinter group of Al-Qaida, and recalling further that any individual, group, undertaking, or entity supporting ISIL or Al-Qaida is eligible for listing,

Condemning the frequent, recent terrorist attacks perpetrated by ISIL around the world resulting in numerous casualties, recognizing the need for sanctions to reflect current threats and, in this regard, recalling paragraph 7 of resolution 2249,

Reminding all States that they have an obligation to take the measures described in paragraph 2 with respect to all individuals, groups, undertakings, and entities included on the list created pursuant to resolutions 1267 (1999), 1333 (2000), 1989 (2011), 2083 (2012), and 2161 (2014) (now and hereunder referred to as the “ISIL (Da’esh) & Al-Qaida Sanctions List”), regardless of the nationality or residence of such individuals, groups, undertakings, or entities,

Urging all Member States to participate actively in maintaining and updating the ISIL (Da’esh) & Al-Qaida Sanctions List by contributing additional information pertinent to current listings, submitting delisting requests when appropriate, and by identifying and nominating for listing additional individuals, groups, undertakings, and entities which should be subject to the measures referred to in paragraph 2 of this resolution,

Reminding the Committee established pursuant to resolutions 1267 (1999) and 1989 (2011) (“the Committee”) to remove expeditiously and on a case-by-case basis individuals, groups, undertakings, and entities that no longer meet the criteria for listing outlined in this resolution, welcoming improvements to the Committee’s procedures and the format of the ISIL (Da’esh) & Al-Qaida Sanctions List, expressing its intent to continue efforts to ensure that procedures are fair and clear, and recognizing the challenges, both legal and otherwise, to the measures implemented by Member States under paragraph 2 of this resolution,

Recognizing the importance of building capacities of Member States to counter terrorism and terrorist financing,

Welcoming again the establishment of the Office of the Ombudsperson pursuant to resolution 1904 (2009) and the enhancement of the Ombudsperson’s mandate in resolutions 1989 (2011), 2083 (2012), and 2161 (2015), noting the Office of the Ombudsperson’s significant contribution in providing additional fairness and transparency, and recalling the Security Council’s firm commitment to ensuring that the Office of the Ombudsperson is able to continue to carry out its role effectively and independently, in accordance with its mandate,

Welcoming the Ombudsperson’s biannual reports to the Security Council, including the reports submitted on 21 January 2011, 22 July 2011, 20 January 2012, 30 July 2012, 31 January 2013, 31 July 2013, 31 January 2014, 31 July 2014, and 2 February 2015,

Welcoming the continuing cooperation between the Committee and INTERPOL, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, in particular on technical assistance and capacity-building, and all other United Nations bodies, and strongly encouraging further engagement with the UN Counter Terrorism Implementation Task Force (CTITF) to ensure overall coordination and coherence in the counter-terrorism efforts of the United Nations system,

Recalling its resolutions 2199 (2015) and 2133 (2014) strongly condemning kidnapping and hostage-taking committed by terrorist groups for any purpose, including with the aim of raising funds or gaining political concessions, expressing its determination to prevent kidnapping and hostage-taking committed by terrorist groups and to secure the safe release of hostages without ransom payments or political concessions in accordance with applicable international law, reiterating its call upon all Member States to prevent terrorists from benefiting directly or indirectly from ransom payments or from political concessions and to secure the safe release of hostages, and welcoming the endorsement by the Global Counterterrorism Forum (GCTF) in September 2015 of the “Addendum to the Algiers Memorandum on Good Practices on Preventing and Denying the Benefits of Kidnapping for Ransom by Terrorists”,